Nunavut’s homicide rate tops in Canada

Nunavut's homicide rate is many times higher than the NWT's

In this Statistics Canada table, you can see where Nunavut's homicide rate stands in comparison with other provinces and territories in Canada.

Nunavut’s homicide rate continues to be much higher than that of any other jurisdiction in Canada, according to Statistics Canada figures released Oct. 26.

Of the 554 homicides in Canada during 2010, six took place in Nunavut.

But because statistics are calculated for population sizes of 100,000, Nunavut’s homicide rate ranks the highest in Canada — at 18.6 homicides per 100,000 people.

Nunavut’s homicide rate is more than 10 times higher than the average rate in Canada.

Statistics Canada said Wednesday there were 554 reported homicides in Canada in 2010 — 56 fewer than in 2009. That translated into a homicide rate of 1.62 for every 100,000 people, the lowest level since 1966. The 2009 rate was 1.81 per 100,000.

Canada’s 2010 homicide rate was similar to many European countries, but remained one-third that of the United States.

As for Nunavut, its 2010 homicide rate was higher than that of Yukon — 2.9 homicides per 100,000 — and of the Northwest Territories — where the rate is 2.3 per 100,000.

Nunavut’s homicide rate was also six times more than in the U.S. and 18 times more than found in the nearly homicide-free countries Denmark, Switzerland, Hungary and Japan.

Homicide rates were generally higher in western Canada, led by Manitoba and Saskatchewan. The exception to this trend was in Nova Scotia where the rate rose 39 per cent to its highest level since 1998 and the third highest rate among the provinces.

As in previous years, victims of homicide were most likely to have been killed by someone they knew.

Between 2000 and 2010, 621 persons accused of homicide were suspected of having a mental or developmental disorder, representing 13 per cent of persons accused over this period.

Approximately one-third of accused murderers with a suspected mental or developmental disorder had been previously convicted of a violent offence.

The Tories are pushing ahead with a crime bill that introduces several harsher measures for convicted criminals. It includes an end to pardons for serious violent and repeat offenders, and eliminates house arrest and conditional sentences for those found guilty of violent crimes.